Manufacture of colored pile fabrics



G. E. SHIPWAY MANUFACTURE OF coLoRED ..1=1LE FABRics- Fged Dec. 24, 1925 WM N N WC N f F July 10, 1928.

Patented July 10, I 1928.

UNITED. STATES.

PATENT OFFICE; 4

GEORGE E. SHIPWAY, OF NOROTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO- THE SALTS TEXTILE MANUFACTURING 00., OF BRIDGEPOR'I, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION ,OF CON- NECTICUT.

MANUFACTURE OF COLORED PILE FABRICS.

Application filed December 24,1925. Serial No. 77,656.

This invention relates to the manufacture of colored pile-fabrics, particularly vel-Vets. A principal object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing pilefabrics suchas velvets in a practically unlimited range of colors, shades and tints from yarns dyed to standard shades-in a relatively few selected colors.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing colored velvets in a multiplicity of colors, shades and tints without requiring that the component yarns of the fabric be critically matched to the same shade in the dyeing.

Another obiect of the invention is to provide a method and process of manufacture whereby fabrics of many different colors and shades may be produced without changing the color of warp already in the loom, so that goods of the required color or shade may be more promptly supplied without waits or delays incident to the necessity for dyeing the warp yarns to match, winding and warping the same and drawing the new warp into the loom. v

Another object of the invention is to provide for greater economy in the cost of manufacture of the goods by minimizing the number of colors and shades in which the yarns must be dyed and carried in stock; by eliminating the critical matching of a large number of shades in the dyeing; by saving time and labor required for changing warps in the loom; by the elimination of waste ends of warp yarns or wastage in yarn dyed to a shade which is supplanted or becomes obsolete; and through other economies as hereinafter set forth.

The improved'method of manufacture and the resultant effects in the goods produced thereby are fully ex laine'cl in the following specification which escribes a type of fabric as illustrated inthe accompanying drawa new supply of yarn to match the origlnal ingsby way of example only. In the drawin s:

ig. 1 is a cross-sectional or profile view showing the structure of the weave for a as woven double in the 100m; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the weave -in perspective, showin the fabricwith the yarns widely separate in an'open meshto more clearly illustrate their disposition;

constitute the ground or body of the cloth, and the pile threads are interwoven therewith with their floats standmg more orless perpendicular to the ground or body and out and frayed to form the pile tufts which constitute the soft, lustrous surface of they goods. All three of the yarn components showtothe eye on the face of the cloth and thecolor and shade of the goods 1s dependent on the colors and shades to which the several different yarns are dyed.

In accordance with the usual practice of weaving velvets the yarn for the warp, weft and pile is all dyed to the same color and shade, and very careful and accurate dyeing is required to match a certain shade from sample, or to reproduce the same shade in a large number of pieces. Moreover if a lar e number of different shades are required 1n separate pieces the warp must be changed for each change from one shade to another, and the yarn for warp, weft and pile for the full requirements must be dyed in advance of manufacture and kept in stock. Obviously, therefore, when a large number of colors and a wide variety of shades in the and to prepare it for weaving by the several processes of winding, warping and twisting thewarp into the loom. By the time the goods are completed the demand may have ceased and therefore a considerable loss may result to the manufacturer. Furthermore, where the popularity shifts from one color or shade to another'without possibility of, anticipating the demand, frequent changes other elements,

under the weft and bya knife K and the'separate fabrics of the warp in the loom must be made and this entails much extra time and labor.

To obviate these unsatisfactory conditions common to the manufacture of pile fabrics in large quantities in many colors and shades I have devised a new method of producing.

a multiplicity of colors with a ractically unlimited range of shades in goods woven from component yarns dyed to a rel'atively few shades in the primary colors. covered that by employing two shades each of only three primary colors, with the addition of white and black, andetfecting all the combinations of these eight colors and shades by using any one for the warp, weft or, pile while varying the colors or shades of the I can obtain a total of five hundred and twelve combinations, giving a like number of shadesfno two of which make the same impression on the eye, and many of which are novel effectsof great distinction and beauty never before produced.

The details of my improved method of manufacture will now be more explicitly 'explained as an exemplification of the manner of carryin out the invention. Referring to 1 o the drawings, it is the preferred practice to weave pile fabrics double, that is with one fabric superimposed above the other and the pile threads floating therebetween to be out to separate the two pieces. In Fig. 1, H designates the loom harnesses through which the ground war yarns g, g and pile warp yarns 11,12 are drawn tobe manipulated to open the shed for the passage of the shuttles carrying the weft or filling arn. The shuttles S are carried on the oscillating lay L which also carries the reed R for beating the weft into the fell of the cloth. The two strips of fabric A and B are woven b the interlacing of the weft yarns to with t e round warp ends, 9, warp threa s p are also interlaced over and floated between the two ground fabrics in any suitable order, for instance with the usual weave for velvets as herein illustrated. The pile floats f arefcu':

ee over rollers P at the front of the loom to be taken up by suitable wind-up rolls not herein illustrated;

- fabric with their ends standin Fig. 2 illustrates the arrangement of the arns in the fabric, the ground war 9 being interlaced over and under the weft picks w is pairs, in alternate order across the width of the cloth, and the pile threads p looped under the weft picks in alternate order between the ground warp yarns g. In Fig. 2 the yarns are shown as widely separated, for the sake of clearness in the illustration, but actually the threads are disposed in close relation, see Fig. 3, so that the pile threads are held tightly bound into the ground of the substantially erect or in perpendicular re ation thereto.

a are frayed or burst I have disand the pile In the finishing of the goods the pile ends to intermingle their fibers in a dense pile projecting from the face of the cloth.

While the pile in velvets may vary somewhat in density is accordance with the quality of the goods, even with a thick pile the color of the warp and weft yarns. of the fabric have an appreciable effect upon the color or shade of the pile. That is to say,- all three component yarns show on the face of the goods and it element of the-combination has a stronger or weaker influence on the resultant shade of the fabric depending on the actual color used. As; a general rule, the pile has the greatest color value, the weftnext, and the warp the least; although this ratio may be altered by a change in the character of the weave or by other conditions. For example,

in the lighter shades, and especially with a white pile, the weft has the strongest color influence, the warp next and the pile the least.

After considerable experimenting I have found that practically all colors may he pro- *duced.in, a maximum range of shades by using yarns dyed to two shades in the primary colors red, yellow and blue, while adding white and black in some of the co1nbinations. For example, the two shades of red used in different order in the warp, weft and pile will give eight combinations,.resul.t-' ing in eight different shades of red in the fabrics produced therefrom. This is shown graphically by the chart or diagram of Fig. 4, in which the component yarn elements are designated warp, w for weft, and p for pile; with the two shades of red nun'lbered 1 and 2. To extend the range, the white and black yarns may be introduced in varying order in the combinations, the result being a multiplicity of shades of the one color element too numerous to here catalog.

Now by introducing another primary color into the combinations still different hues of varying shades are arrived at.

has been found that each,

as follows: g for" ground For example,

with red and yellow yarns combined in tlit'.

white and black trope, purple and other shades through the 1 use of white and black.

Where two d colors are combined in different shades the ifl'erent standard primary.

resultant colors and shades willconform to a certain standard, although in combinations employing white for the pile the effect is quite unique and .very beautiful as giving a silvery or frosted cast to the color. When a third primary color is introduced into the combinations the unique effect is still further enhanced, many apparently new and surprising hues being attained, in all too numerous to mention and so beautiful as to defy description.

It will be understood, of course, that velvets are usually woven from silk yarn, at least for the pile, and on account of their gloss the threads have certain reflective powers or characteristics which cause two or more colors or shades in the com onent yarns to merge or blend to give a di erent shade to the whole piece. For instance, with ared pile and blue round, the red pile threads will reflect the% the blue yarns in the ground will reflect the red of the pile, so that the effect produced on the eye is as the combination of these two primaries, giving violet, purple, and other shades as the case may be. As the observer looks across the face of the goods at different angles the shade appears to change somewhat as the ground colors lose part of their influence on the standing pile threads, yet still the ground will always tone the pile to some extent, and when the goods are draped in folds the shading of the colors gives ex traordinarily beautiful iridescent efi'ects.

am aware that heretofore in the manufacture of the cheaper grades of velvet it has sometimes been the practice to use warp and weft of a darker shade from that of the pile to avoid the necessity of matching the yarns of the ground or body of the cloth to the exact shade of the pile. This can only be I done with the darker shades, however, be-

45. vets, for instance, a black Weft is sometimes ing no'morethan a makeshift and never employed for the finest and most expensive fabrics. In the cheaper grades of blue velused to obtain adarker shade with a warp and pile of standard shade, thus avoiding changing the warp in the loom, but this practice obviously has limitations and has nevercomprehended the combination. of

a complementary colors in the manner as herein explained.

In some examples of upholstery goods the pile has a different color from the ground, butsuch combinations are for contrast, being usually employed in cut pile fabrics where the pile is removed to form a raised or embossed pattern with the contrasting background showing between the figures of the desi ,In the so-called changeable silks of plain weave two; or more colors are introduced to obtain harmonious color contrasts shading from oneto another, but here the direction lue color of the ground, and

slight variation from" 'the grey yarn must be sent to the dyehouse,

of the light gives the changing effects and the colors cannot be combined to give a distinct complementary hue in all lights, because there is no p1le standing on the face of the goods to reflect the color of the ground with a complete blending therebetween. I

As before stated, an important and farreaching advantage of the present improved method of manufacture results from the fact that I amable to produce goods in a practically unlimited number of colors, and with a maximum range of shades, from yarns dyed in only a few primary colors. As before explained, the three primary colors above noted used in two shades each, with white and black added,'will give five-hundred and twelve distinctive shades, not only meeting the usual requirements as regards the standard range of colors and shades, but also providing many unique hues and. original eflects- This results in great economies in cost of manufacture, elimination of waste, reduction of stock and finished materials to be carried, and a saving in time required to produce or reproduce goods to given re-' quirements.

Instead of the usual stock of several hundred colors of' yarn the manufacturer can with only eight colors produce any one or more of the five hundred and twelve shades for prompt delivery, and by following certain formulae can reproduce these many shades as required for reorder, without delays for dyeing and matching, and preparing and drawlng in new warps; it being understood that a single color of warp may serve for many combinations. Ordinarily. it has been the practice to carry a stock" of yarn prepared for warp, weft and pile for all standard colors and shades, and when a tandard is specified a small sample dyed and returned to check for matching, then the whole lot dyed and shipped in, after which. it is wound and Warped and then twistedinto the loom.

This entails a delay of several weeks and. there is usually a certain amount of the yarn of the particular color left over which must be disposed of as waste. With a small number of colors a relatively large stock of yarn maybe carried in each without an excessive stock in the aggregate.- The yarns of the several colors are-all prepared in the-form of warp, weft and pile, thus saving much time and practically eliminating Waste, while requiring a much smaller investment with practically no dead stock.

It is to be understood that while white, technically, is not a color but a combination of the. primary colors and black the absence of color, the term color as'herein employed in the specification and claims is to be construed broadly as including black and white.

. the several colors weft and pile yarns While I have herein explained a preferred manner of carrying out the improved method of manufacture as adapted to usual requirements, it is obvious that the details thereof may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, I believe I am the first to devise a method for producing pile fabrics in a plurality of colors with a wide range of shades from combinations of yarns dyed in a relatively small number of primary colors an I'desire to claim this method and the result broadly.

1. As a new article of manufacture, a velvet fabric woven from warp,weft and pile yarns dyed respectively to. different colors and combined in the weaveto blend to give the pile a different color as the face of the fabric is viewed from various angles.

2. As a new article of manufacture. a colored velvet fabric woven from Warp, dyed respectively to different shades and combined in the weave toblend the several shades to modify the color of the ile on the whole piece of goods fast its ace is viewed from various angles' 3. As a new article of manufacture, a velvet fabric woven from warp, weft and pile threads dyed in the yarn to two or more primary colors and combined in the weave to blend-to produce a different color of the pile on the whole piece of goods as its face 1s veiwed from various angles.

4. Ari improved method of manufacturlng' velvet fabrics consisting 1n selecting yarns dyed to different colors forthe warp,

weft and pile components (of the cloth and combining the colors in the weave to blend them to produce a different color or shade of the pile on the the fabric is viewed on its face from various angles.

5. An improved method of manufacturing colored velvets consisting in dyeing yarns to several colorsfor the warp, weft and pile components of the cloth and weaving separate lengths of fabric from differd ent combinations thereof whereby the several colors in each piece are blended to produce a wide variety of hues and shades of the pile on the different pieces as the fabric is viewed on its face from various angles.

6; An improved method of manufacturing velvet fabrics in a full range of colors, shades and tints consisting in dyeing yarns to a relatively small number ofprimary colors in different shades and weaving the fabrics from different combinations thereof in the warp, weft and pile whereby the colors are blended to produce a wide variety of colors, shades and-tints in the pile on different pieces of the goods as the face of the fabric is viewed from various an les.

whole piece of goods as" 7. An improved method of manuf actur- I ing velvet fabrics consisting in dyeing yarns to different colors and shades; for example 

